BASILICATA

Maratea by Basilicata Turistica

Where

The region of Basilicata was known in Roman times as Lucania – a name some residents still use today. Basilicata is in southern Italy and sits between the boot’s ‘toe and heel’, with Puglia to its north, the Ionian Sea to the south-east, Calabria to the south and southern Campania to the west. Basilicata may be a small region, but its landscape is diverse, ranging from the eroded hills called ‘Calanchi‘ in the Matera area (where the Sassi, ancient cave dwellings, are a World Heritage Site), to the higher mountains of the interior and the coastal beaches. Basilicata may be sandwiched between the two principal regions of mainland southern Italy – Calabria and Puglia, but it has retained its own cultural identity. Summers are very hot here, but the National Park of the Pollino, located in the central mountainous area, is popular with tourists wanting a respite from the heat. Medieval castles, including those built by Federico II, are important cultural monuments.

Pollino National Park by Weiko

The region remains rural and agricultural, with excellent cheeses due to large areas of pasture that are still used to graze sheep, goats and the pale cattle of southern Italy, of the Podolica breed. Pork products are popular too, with special salumi being made here. As for wine, the northern area of Basilicata is famous for its Aglianico del Vulture DOCG, made from the south’s most important and historic red grape, Aglianico. Other reds are made in the area near Moliterno, in the region’s west.

Matera by Serdir

Matera by Francesco Blaster

What to See

Matera is located in an area with many gorges and is famous for its so-called ‘Sassi’ in the lower town. ‘l Sassi’ (sassi means ‘stones’ in Italian) are rock dwellings which also contain 130 churches built into the rock dating back to the 8th century BC. Potenza is the region’s capital city.

Castelmezzano by Luca Traversa

Pietrapertosa by Basilicata Turistica

Scenic sights include: Castelmezzano (a stunning cliff-side village built within stone peaks which is known for sausages), the Volo dell’Angello (a zip-wire through the rocks from Castelmezzano to Pietrapertosa, Pietrapertosa (another cliff-side village with an Arab quarter in the heart of the village), and Venosa (an ancient small town with an archaeological park at the northeastern edge), which was the birthplace of the Latin poet Horatio and, with Vulture, is now the centre of the winemaking area.

Metaponto and Heraclea are archeological sites with Greek remains. Maratea is known for its seaside position.

Maratea by Mozzercork

Maratea by Mozzercork

The Larder

Basilicata is known for its cheeses, spicy food, lamb, pork, tomatoes, and wild herbs. More chillies are eaten in Basilicata per person than anywhere else in Italy – except parts of nearby Calabria. The most common varieties of chilli (called peperoncino in Italian) are Diavolicchi and Sigarette. In Basilicata, as throughout the south of Italy, most people hang strings of dried chillies in their kitchens so they’re always readily available. Extra virgin olive oil is used for cooking; butter rarely appears here.

Chillies by Basilicata Turistica

The traditional dishes of Basilicata are based on rural simplicity. Bread and pasta are popular; simple pastas are handmade in many imaginative shapes of just flour and water, without egg. Typical pasta shapes include strascinati (made with the indentations of two or three fingers), tagliolini (long thin noodles), triid (long pasta strips rolled by hand), orecchiette (little thumbprints of pasta shaped like ‘ears’), tapparelle (large orecchiette), lagane (tagliatelle), and ferrettini or fusilli (pasta strips rolled around a thin metal rod).

Traditional kitchen in Basilicata by Basilicata Turistica

Vegetables are often prepared in place of meat in Basilicata. Characteristic vegetables are aubergine (including a red variety), artichokes, tomatoes, broccoli rabe, carrots, turnip tops, potatoes, onions, lampascioni (wild grape hyacinth bulbs), peppers, chicory, mushrooms, and broad beans. Legumes such as chickpeas, lentils and beans are also grown locally and feature in the recipes of most households.

Boat by Basilicata Turistica

Fresh fish is readily available in coastal areas but inland meat dishes are more popular, of lamb, pork, goat, or beef. There is still a strong tradition of shepherding in this region, on the slopes and pastures of the mountains. Young lamb is a delicacy and was historically considered to be a remedy. Today it is served for Christmas and Easter family meals. At Christmas, even poor families still feast on as many as 13 different dishes. Pigs are raised by families and spit-roasted during festivities or made into salumi, which may be piccante (from the added chillies) or not. Sausages are sometimes also preserved in rendered pork fat.

“crisc’ lu purch’ca t’ung’ lu muss” is a saying in Basilicata which means “a pig gives you a full belly”

Basilicata’s cheeses are famous thoughout Italy, especially the exceptional caciocavallo Podolico, which is formed in the shape of a giant teardrop. Provolone, scamorza, burrata or butirro, mozzarella and caciota are other cow’s milk cheeses from the region. Sheep and goat’s milk cheeses are also popular including the Pecorino di Filiano, Canestrato di Moliterno, and the salted cacioricotta.

Basilicata produces fine extra virgin olive oil in several parts of the region. Some olives are salt-cured for table eating.

Menu

The typical dishes of Basilicata include pasta dressed in tomato sauce, herbs and chilli, or pecorino cheese and olive oil. Meat, when cooked, is usually grilled, braised, or baked. Vegetables often feature instead of meat in elaborate dishes such as melanzane al forno (aubergine cooked with olives, anchovies, capers, and tomatoes), ragnante (potatoes cooked with onions, tomatoes, pecorino, and olive oil), and piatto d’erbe (a mix of many vegetables like onions, aubergine, peppers, tomatoes, parsley, basil, and garlic cooked together). Meals often end with cheese, followed by nuts and oranges. Desserts are sweet; some include honey.

Grape vines in Vulture by Basilicata Turistica

Aglianico del Vulture, D’Angelo by Moestue Grape Selections

A local gem is red wine made from Aglianico grapes in Aglianico del Vulture DOC. Look for producers such as Carbone, D’Angelo, Paternoster, Tenuta Le Querce, Terre degli Svevi, and Vigne Mastrodomenico.

Basilicata is famous for its Amaro Lucano, a bitter after-dinner liqueur made from alcohol infused with wild and medicinal herbs.

What to Eat

A list of typical dishes from Basilicata (the most classic dishes are written in bold):

Pane (Bread)

Mescuotte (a hard bread flavoured with anise and shaped in to rings, knots, or M’s)

Beccacce alla Lucana (woodcock flavoured with bay leaf, barded with prosciutto, cooked in white wine, and served with toasted bread and a sauce made from the giblets, capers, anchovy, and Marsala wine)

Formaggi (Cheeses)

Burrata (an extremely creamy mozzarella)

Burrino / Manteca / Butirro (stringy paste of caciocavallo cheese around a ball of butter, produced in Basilicata, Campania, Molise, and Calabria

Caciocavallo (a stretched or pulled-curd cow’s milk cheese, a provolone shaped like a bowling pin, produced in Potenza and Matera but a highly sought after version is the caciocavallo Podolico della Basilicata. Caciocavallo is sometimes served with honey.)

Cacioricotta (a mixed ewe’s and goat’s milk cheese)

Casieddu di Moliterno (a soft goat’s milk cheese, strained through ferns and wrapped in nepitella, from Val d’Agri, particularly the Moliterno area. Moliterno means “the milking place”. This cheese is only made in the summer.)

Canestrato di Moliterno (a hard mixed ewe’s and goat’s milk cheese placed in baskets made from reed (fuscedd’) hence the name ‘Canestrato ‘(in the basket) and seasoned for 6 to 12 months in storerooms (fondaci))

Mozzarella (a soft, fresh, mild cow or buffalo’s milk cheese)

Pecorino (a hard ewe’s milk cheese)

Provolone (originating from Campania, it is a stretched-curd cow’s milk cheese formed into a teardrop or sausage shape)

Ricotta (traditionally made from the whey, this low-fat curd cheese is sometimes enriched with cream. When salted and aged it hardens and becomes ricotta salata, which is used for grating, as a table cheese, or as an ingredient in first courses and desserts)

Scamorza (originating from Puglia and Campania, this is usually a smoked version of mozzarella in the stretched-curd, teardrop shape)

Bevande (Drinks)

Amarello (liquorice liqueur)

Amaro lucano (a herbal bitter spirit)

Nocino (green walnut liqueur)

Punch al miele (honey punch)

Rosolio (rose petal, citrus fruit, and wild berry liqueur)

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